Synopsis
This novel by John Wilson tells the story of young lives changed by the American Civil War.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-7-Cousins Walt and Nate, both 15, know nothing of one another. Their grandfathers parted over the issue of slavery, and one settled in Canada while the other stayed in South Carolina. Now America is on the verge of the Civil War and both teens are soon caught by war fever. Walt is a Canadian farmer's son trying to figure out how the world works. Nate, the son of a plantation owner, must forsake his friendship with Sunday, a slave, whose tongue was cut off by Frank King, the cruel plantation foreman. Sunday escapes north to Canada, and the vengeful King follows, with disastrous results for the runaway and his new friend, Walt. The parts of this novel that work include sections of action-filled, tightly written prose. Realistic battle scenes illustrate the senselessness of war. However, too often the book is preachy about the evils of war and slavery or overtly teaches a history lesson. This is unfortunate as the story offers a fresh take on the conflict-the idea of Canada as refuge for fugitive slaves and the irony of how it was nearly drawn into the war on the side of the South. Stereotypical characterizations and didacticism mar a potential page-turner. Most readers will not make it through the slow parts to find the few nuggets.-Christina Stenson-Carey, Albany Public Library, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.